Valve spring split lock catcher



May 23, 1933. J. SUNNEN 1,910,572

VALVE SPRING SPLIT LOCK CATCHER Filed March 16, 1932 Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT OFFEQE JOSEPH SUNNEN, OF KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI VALVE SPRING SPLIT LOOK CATCI-IER Application filed March 16, 1332.

My invention has relation to improvements in tools commonly used by automobile mechanics in performing certain operations on the engine thereof, and it consists in the novel features of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

The present invention relates more particularly to receptacles, or catchers, for certain parts of the valve mechanism such as the split lock for holding the valve spring seat in place, and is an improvement over the device described in my Patent No. 1,764,185, dated 7 June 17, 1930.

As in the device of the patent referred to,

my improved receptacle, or catcher, is disposed below the valve spring around the valve stem or cam follower in position to catch the I split lock when it is released on lifting the valve. -lowever, the present receptacle is more conveniently operated in that it is provided with a projecting handle and is arranged to present an opening to permit intimate association with the valve stem, said opening being closed by the pressure of the receptacle against the valve stem in one direction and opened by pressure in the opposite direction without any other manipulation. In addition to ease of manipulation, it is the object of the invention to provide a receptacle that is simple, durable and reliable in operation.

These advantages, as well as others inherent in the invention, will be better apparent from a detailed description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fragment of an engine showing several valve stems and my improved receptacle applied to one of them; Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 with the receptacle left in elevation; Fig. 3 is a top plan of my improved receptacle with the cooperating parts thereof in closed position; Fig. 4 is a top plan of the receptacle with the cooperating parts in open position to permit the reception of the valve stem; and Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section through the receptacle taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Serial No. 589,1 14.

Referring to the drawing, E represents an internal combustion engine in which the valve spring S rests on a washer or seat W held in place on the valve stem V by a split lock L. In, 4 order to remove the valve the spring must also be removed by a tool known as a valve lifter. As soon as the spring is raised from its seat WV by the valve litter the pressure is released from the lock elements L which become dis-1 lodged from the valve stem V and fall. The limited clearance around the valve stem, especially when the valve litter is in place, is not suificient for the operator to catch the lock elements in his hand, but there is sufii; cient space for the insertion of my improved receptacle R since the receptacle accommodates itself to the space provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

tions 1 and 2 hinged together by means of a pivot 3. The section 1 is of substantially circular shape and is provided with a marginal flange 4, or a side wall, extending,- somewhat more than half way around its periphery. The bottom 5 01"" section 1 has a recess 6 extending radially inwardly, the inner edge '7 of said recess being described by a radius the center of which is on the cen-,- ter of the receptacle R, and the opening of the recess being opposite to the wall 4. The section 2 lies over the section 1 and is substantiall y semi-annular in shape, having a flange 8 extending around a portion. of its periph-; ery so as to form a continuation of the flange 4 when the section 2 is in its closed position to cover the open end of recess 6. In this position of section 2 a substantially circular opening is formed at the center of the receptacle by the arcuate edge 7 of recess 6 and arcuate edge 9 of section 2. This section 2 thus forms, what may be termed a gate in the receptacle, since this section may be oscillated about the pivot 3 to expose the recess 6, as shown in Fig. 4. The flange 4 is provided wit-h an inwardly bent extremity 4 adjacent to recess 6, and flange 8 is provided with an inwardly bent extremity 8, which will. come into abutting relation with the flange 4' when the section, or gate, 2 is closed. 109

The flange 8 does not extend around the enapplied to and removed from the valve astire periphery of section 2, but is terminated sembly parts.

at a point to leave a portion 10 of the bottom In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my 11 of section 2 extending into the flanged signature.

part of section 1 parti ally around the edge 7 of recess 6. A handle 12 is fixed to flange 4L at a point approximately on the diameter of the receptacle passing through the center of the recess 6.

In using my improved receptacle the operator manually rotates the section 2 with respect to section 1 so as to expose the recess (i as shown in Fig. 4. The receptacle may then be disposed around the valve stem or cam follower, as the case may be, by manipulating it so that the valve stem enters the recess 6 and finally impinges on edge 13 of section 2. As the valve stem is forced into the recess, section 2 will be moved to closed position by the pressure of the valve stem against the edge 13. The operator may then hit the valve and allow the split lock ele ments L to fall into the receptacle, after which it is withdrawn from the stem. In the withdrawing operation the action of this section 2 is reversed from its action in the entering operation i. e. the valve stem impinges on the edge 9 of the bottom 11 and in withdrawing the receptacle the gate or secti on 2 will he pushed open and the valve will then pass out through recess 6. It is thus apparent that after the gate 2 has once been opened to permit disposition of the receptacle around the valve stem the subsequent operations of closing the gate and again opening it to permit withdrawal of the receptacle are accomplished merely by the movement of the receptacle in and out in contact with the valve stem, no further manual manipulation beinr; necessary.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A catcher for valve assembly parts comprising a receptacle having relatively mov-i able sections pivotally connected, one of said sections having an open slot extending from its periphery into the bottom of the receptacle said slot being adapted to receive one of the valve assembly parts, the other section being operable as a gate to open and close said slot and means on said gate section for engagement with the aforesaid valve assembly part whereby the gate is opened or closed by movement of the receptacle toward or from said valve assembly part.

2. A catcher for valve assembly parts comprising a receptacle having relatively movable sections pivotally connected, one of said sections having an open slot extending from its periphery into the bottom of the receptacle, said slot being adapted to receive one of the valve assembly parts the other section being operable as a gate to open and close said slot, and means for closing and opening said gate section whereby said receptacle may be 

